1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming device management system and method wherein one or a plurality of image forming devices, such as copiers and printers, are connected to a data communication device within a customer system, the data communication device is connected to a central control system via a public switched telephone network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming device management system of the above type is known, and, in such image forming device management system, the central control system (or a host computer) provides a remote maintenance of one or the plurality of image forming devices, which are located within each individual customer system, through the telephone network and the data communication device.
In a conventional image forming device management system of the above type, many image forming devices are designed to have an automatic power-off function. In such an image forming device with the automatic power-off function, when the image forming device stays in an inactive condition for a long period, exceeding a given reference period, after an end of an image forming action (copying action) of the image forming device, the supply of electric power from a power source to the image forming device is cut off for the purpose of reduction of the power consumption.
In the image forming device that is provided in the conventional image forming device management system of the above type, when a main switch of the image forming device is turned off by the operator or when the automatic power-off function is effected in order to reduce the power consumption, the supply of electric power from the power source to the image forming device is cut off. Hence, there is a problem that the image forming device, which is held in such power-off state, is unable to respond to a call or a communication request signal sent by the data communication device.
In addition, the data communication device usually functions to transmit the current setting of internal parameters of the image forming device to the central control system via the telephone network by sending, at a preprogrammed time, a call to the image forming device. However, if the image forming device is held in such power-off state as described above, the image forming device does not respond to the call sent by the data communication device. Consequently, the data communication device is unable to transmit the current setting of internal parameters of the image forming device to the central control system.